Target-trap carrier.



H. 0. PEPPER. TARGET TRAP CARRIER.

APPLICATION FILED .APE.21, 1909. 954,583, 7

Patented A r. 1 2, 1910.

ANDREW a. GRAHAM c0. PHOYD-LIYHUGRAPNERS, WASHINGTON DJ UNITED STATESPATENT FFT HARRY CBEIGHTON PEFFER, OF EAST ST. LOUIS, ILLINOIS.

TARGET-TEA]? CARRIER.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY CREIGHTON Pnrrnn, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and resident of East St. Louis, Illinois, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Target-Trap Carriers, of which thefollowing is a specification containing a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming apart hereof.

My invention relates to a target trap carrier, the object of myinvention being to construct a simple carrier for the throw arm of atarget trap, and which carrier is adapted to hold two targets andarranged to throw them simultaneously and in different courses.

A further object of my invention is to provide a carrier which holds twotargets, the upper target held with its convex surface upwardly and thelower target with its concave surface upwardly.

A further object of my invention is to provide a carrier combining themerits of a right and left hand throwing target trap, and capable ofthrowing two targets simultaneously, one in a straight course and theother in a curved or spiral course.

To the above purposes, my invention consists in certain novel featuresof construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, claimedand shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a carrier of my improved construction showingthe position of a target in dotted lines; Fig. 2 is a longitudinalsection taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a transverse sectiontaken on the line 33 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 1 is a section taken on theline M of Fig. 1.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawing: 1 designates thethrow arm of the trap which carries the target carrier. The carriercomprises a V shaped plate 3, which is connected at its point or apexwith the throw arm 1, and arranged beneath the arms of this plate 3 arearms 4 which are spaced apart from said arms 3, being connected theretoby pins or rivets 5.

Arms 6 are arranged immediately above the central portions of the armsof the plate 3, said arms 6 being comparatively shorter than the arms ofsaid plate 3 and being connected thereto by the pins or rivets 5 beforementioned.

7 designates a finger which is pivotally Specification of LettersPatent.

Application filed April 21, 1909.

Patented Apr. 12, 1910.

Serial No. 491,395.

connected at its rear end to straps fixed to the arms of the plate 3adjacent its apex, and formed in the outer portion of this finger is aslot 8 in which is adjustably positioned a pin or bolt 9 on the upperend of which is arranged a collar 10, and a flanged collar 11 of greaterdiameter than the collar 10. Loosely arranged on the lower portion ofthe pin or bolt 9 is a substantially triangular block 12, in one edge ofwhich is formed a horizontally disposed curved groove 13. Fixed on thearms of the plate 3 adjacent the point where the finger 7 is pivoted tosaid plate, and at opposite sides thereof, are perforated uprights 14,through which is a horizontally disposed fixed shaft 15, telescopicallyembracing said shaft, are the sleeves 16 and 17 around which is coiledan expansive spring 18. Each of the sleeves 16 and 17 are internallythreaded at their outer ends and adapted to be engaged by the knurlednuts 19 and 20. A stirrup 21 is pivotally connected with the finger 7and its upright end portions 2222 and its lower body portion are slottedto permit its movement relative to the uprights 14 fixed to the arms ofthe plate 3. The nuts 19 and 20 engage the upright end portions of thestirrup and by reason of their being acted on by the spring 18 thefinger 7 is normally held in a line parallel with the throw arm. lVhenthe finger 7 is drawn in a given direc tion the entire stirrup with eachof its uprights 22-22 is drawn in the same direction, the upright 22toward which the finger moves passing over the fixed upright 14 on thesame side and the knurled nut held between said upright 14: and theopposite upright 22 carried by the stirrup thus com pressing the spring18.

When my improved carrier is ready for use, the nuts 19 and 20 areadjusted on the sleeves 16 and 17 to give the desired tension of thespring 18 to normally maintain the finger in a central position betweenthe arms of the plate 3, and to load the carrier, or position thetargets therein, the finger is manually engaged and swung to one side orthe other and the target is positioned with its concaved face downwardlyon top of said finger with a portion of its flange engaging one of thearms of the plate 3 and one of the arms 6, and against the collar 10beneath the flange collar 11. A second target having its concave faceupward or in an inverted position, with reference to the first target,is arranged beneath the finger 7 with a portion of its flange betweenone of the arms of the plate 3 and one of the arms 4, and said flangealso engages in the groove 13 formed in the block 12. Thus a pair oftargets are held in the carrier, one immedi ately over the other, one ofwhich has its convex face uppermost and the other its convex face helddownwardly.

The trap is now operated in the usual manner, and when the throwing armstops after it is swung, the sudden stoppage of the momentum of said armcauses the finger 7 to shift slightly to one side to permit the twotargets to leave the carrier, and in leaving, said targets will be givenrotary motion as their edges bear against the edge of the block 12 andcollar 10. By reason of this rotary motion, and, also, by reason of theinverted position of one of the targets, said targets are caused to takedifierent paths of travel during flight, the uppermost target with itsconcave surface held downward being thrown in a straight course, and thelowermost target with its convex face held downward being thrown in aspiral or curved course.

The finger 7 can be readily shifted from one side to anothercorresponding to the desired movement of the throwing arm, and the block12, against which the lowermost target is positioned, is readily swungon the pin or bolt 9 so as to engage the flange of the lowermost targetat either side.

The pin or bolt 9 can be adjusted longitudinally relative to the finger7, so as to accommodate targets of various diameters. This adjustmentserves also to vary the paths of travel of the targets, in that, by theengagement of the collar 10 and the block 12 at different positions onthe periphery of the flange of the target the degree of rotation of thetarget in flight is varied.

A carrier of my improved construction is very simple and inexpensive,and can be attached to any suitable trap and provides simple meanswhereby two targets are thrown simultaneously in different courses. orwith it I can also throw a single target and give it a greater varietyof movement and can also control its line of flight.

I claim:

1. In combination with the throw arm of a target trap, a plate, havingarms, fixed to the end of the throw arm, a spring held finger betweenthe arms of the plate and means carried by the finger for holding onetarget with its convex face upwardly and a second target with itsconcave face upwardly.

2. In combination with the throw arm of a target trap, a plate, havingarms, fixed to the end of the throw arm, a spring held finger betweenthe arms of the plate, means carried by the finger for holding a targetwith its concave face upwardly, which means are adjustablelongitudinally relative to the finger.

3. In combination with the throw arm of a target trap, a plate, havingarms, fixed to the end of the throw arm, a spring held finger betweenthe arms of the plate, means carried by the finger for holding a targetwith its convex face upwardly and means for holding a second target withits concave face upwardly, which latter means is pivoted to the finger.

at. In combination with the throw arm of a target trap, a plate, havingarms, fixed to the end of the throw arm, a finger pivoted between thearms of the plate, a spring acting on the finger, means for adjustingthe tension of the spring, means carried by the finger for holding atarget with its convex face upwardly, and means carried by the fingerfor holding a second target with its concave face upwardly.

5. In combination with the throw arm of a target trap, a plate, havingarms, fixed to the end of the throw arm, a finger pivoted between thearms of the plate, a spring acting on the finger, means for adjustingthe tension of the spring, means carried by the finger for holding atarget with its convex face upwardly, and means pivoted to the fingerfor holding a second target with its concave face upwardly.

6. In combination with the throw arm of a target trap, a plate, havingarms, fixed to the end of the throw arm, a slotted finger pivotedbetween the arms of the plate, a spring acting on the finger, means'foradjusting the spring, a bolt carried by the finger within the slot,means carried by the bolt for engaging a target to hold it with itsconvex face upward, and means rota tably carried by the bolt forengaging a second target with its concave face upwardly.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, inpresence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARRY CREIGHTON PEFFER.

lVitnesses EDWARD E. LoNeAN, E. L. VVALLACE.

